Grindr/ tinder/ dating apps (13441_16)

Request

1.How many offences your force has recorded where the key term “Grindr” has been use? (ie where the term Grindr has been mentioned in the MO field of a crime report)? In 2014? 2015? 2016?

2.How many offences your force has recorded where the key term “Tinder” has been use? (ie where the term Tinder has been mentioned in the MO field of a crime report)? In 2014? In 2015? In 2016?

3.How many offences your force has recorded where the key term “dating app” has been use? (ie where the term dating app has been mentioned in the MO field of a crime report)? In 2014? In 2015? In 2016?

Response

Please note that these data should be interpreted with caution. Comparing numbers of incidents/crimes can be misleading and does not necessarily indicate the likelihood of someone being a victim of crime. In addition, the number of incidents/crimes recorded in an area over a period of time can be influenced by a number of factors. Consequently statistics on incidents/crimes for one period may not necessarily be a good indicator of future incidents in that area.

Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from a number of data sources used by forces for police purposes. The detail collected to respond specifically to your request is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when interpreting those data.

The figures provided therefore are our best interpretation of relevance of data to your request, but you should be aware that the collation of figures for ad hoc requests may have limitations and this should be taken into account when those data are used.

: How many offences your force has recorded where the key term “Grindr” has been use? (ie where the term Grindr has been mentioned in the MO field of a crime report)? In 2014? 2015? 2016?

How many offences your force has recorded where the key term “dating app” has been use? (ie where the term dating app has been mentioned in the MO field of a crime report)? In 2014? In 2015? In 2016?

If it falls within the cost limit, can I have the details of the types of offences involving Grindr and/or Tinder and/or dating app recorded by your force (e.g. sex assault, robbery), and numbers for each type?

We have searched our systems using the key word search of “dating app ” for calendar year 2014/ 2015/ 2016

Year

Total

2014

1

2015

4

2016

10

15

Offence

Total

HARASSMENT

4

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT – NON CRIME

1

FRAUD – NON CRIME – NORMALLY RECORDED BY ACTION FRAUD

1

ASSAULT OCCASION ABH

1

SEND COMMUNICATION/ARTICLE CONVEYING A THREATENING MESSAGE

1

BLACKMAIL

1

THREATS TO KILL

1

POSSESS CONTROL DRUG-CLASS B-CANNABIS

1

CAUSE GBH WITH INTENT

1

THEFT OTHER

1

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT – NON CRIME

1

CHILD ABUSE INCIDENT – NON CRIME

1

If you decide to write an article / use the enclosed data we would ask you to take into consideration the factors highlighted in this document so as to not mislead members of the public or official bodies, or misrepresent the relevance of the whole or any part of this disclosed material.